Comstock Mining Expands Management for Production

VIRGINIA CITY, Nev., April 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Comstock Mining Inc. ("Comstock Mining" or "the Company") (OTCBB: LODE) announced the appointment of two senior operating managers, Mr. Clifford D. Nelson, Jr., as Vice President, Operations, and Dr. Edouard K. Zoutomou, as Metallurgical Process Manager, both effective April 18, 2011.

A Focus on Production

Mr. Nelson joins the Company with over 30 years of operations management and metallurgical experience, most recently with Golden Predator Corp. as its Vice President of Operations. Mr. Nelson's extensive experience includes metallurgy, operations management and multiple start-up successes managing open pit, underground and offshore production mine facilities. He has worked with Inspiration Resources (including West Gold), BHP, Magma Copper and St. Andrew Goldfields. A notable rehabilitation and start up success includes his experience as General Manager for Golden Predator Springer Complex Mines where he oversaw the construction and rehabilitation of the company's tungsten project near Winnemucca, NV. He previously managed the rehabilitation, operation and optimization of world's largest offshore gold dredge, Bima, in the Bering Sea off the coast of Alaska. He also rehabilitated the lode gold mill at the Nixon Fork Operation outside of McGrath, Alaska, and started up production in the underground Nixon Fork Gold Mine. Mr. Nelson received his B.S. in Metallurgical Engineering and Materials Science from Michigan Technological University.

Comstock Mining’s CEO, Corrado De Gasperis stated, "Cliff brings instant alignment with our immediate goals of production.  His passion for maximizing throughput and diverse background of starting up and managing complex systems fit right into our management methodology."  

Metallurgical Process

Comstock Mining also announced the appointment of Edouard K. Zoutomou as Metallurgical Process Manager. Dr. Zoutomou has over 30 years of a unique blend of project and operations management and metallurgical process engineering experience, with 17 of those years in various technical and operational capacities with Alligator Ridge Mine, Greens Creek Mine and Kennecott Utah Copper. Ed's extensive experience includes metallurgical and operations management, with full ownership of a three-stage crushing operation, a 10 million-sq. ft. heap leach pad and adjacent Merrill-Crowe processing and refinery facilities, the supporting assay and metallurgical laboratories while with Kennecott Rawhide Mining Company. Since 2006, Ed served as Project Manager at Kappes, Cassiday & Associates before joining Geovic Mining Corporation as Process Manager. Most recently, Ed served as Principal Process Engineer with Roberts & Schaffer, a KBR Company.

Ed received his B.S. in Mining Engineering from Polytechnic Institute, Universite de Conakry, his M.S. in Metallurgical Engineering from the New Mexico Institute of Mining Technology, and his Ph.D. in Mining-Metallurgy with a thesis on "Supercritical Water Generation of Particulate Metal Oxide" from the University of Idaho.

Mr. De Gasperis stated, "We are delighted to add such strong operations and production experience to our Comstock team as we near our critical production objectives. Our search placed a disproportional emphasis on a demonstrated record of strong project management, extensive, successful start up experience and very strong technical engineering and metallurgy expertise. We have achieved all that and more with the additions of Cliff and Ed to the Comstock."

Both gentlemen will join Comstock Mining's management team on April 18, 2011.

About Comstock Mining Inc.

Comstock Mining Inc. is a Nevada-based gold and silver mining company with extensive, contiguous property in the Comstock District.  The Company began acquiring properties in the Comstock District in 2003.  Since then, the Company has consolidated a significant portion of the Comstock District, amassed the single largest known repository of historical and current geological data on the Comstock region, secured permits, built an infrastructure and brought the exploration project into test mining production.  The Company continues acquiring additional properties in the district, expanding its footprint and creating opportunities for exploration and mining.  The goal of its strategic plan is to deliver stockholder value by validating qualified resources (at least measured and indicated) and reserves (probable and proven) of 3,250,000 gold equivalent ounces by 2013, and commencing commercial mining and processing operations in 2011, with annual production rates of 20,000 gold equivalent ounces.

Neither this press release nor any related calls or discussions constitutes an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities.

SOURCE Comstock Mining Inc.